Chapter 2

The streets of New Arcton never truly slept. Neon lights flickered, casting eerie glows on the towering buildings, while drones hovered silently, monitoring the city's pulse. Amidst the sea of people moving through the endless urban sprawl, one figure stood still. Watching. Waiting.

The cloaked woman had been tracking Wendall for years, ensuring that the child remained hidden from those who would seek to control her. The girl was a mystery, even to her. A wielder of KURAT, born in a realm that had long abandoned magic.

And now, the time had come for her to awaken.

But she wasn't the only one watching.

As the woman moved away from the orphanage, her senses tingled. She wasn't alone.

Someone else had been lurking in the darkness, their presence almost imperceptible. Almost.

She quickened her pace, weaving through the labyrinth of back alleys and towering metal structures that made up the heart of New Arcton. But the presence followed. Not with footsteps, not with sound—but with something else.

The woman reached a deserted industrial zone, stopping in front of a flickering streetlight. The moment she turned, the shadows coiled together, forming a shape—a man, draped in black, his eyes glowing with an eerie red hue.

She knew that presence.

"Tyoran."

The figure stepped forward, his voice smooth and unreadable. "It has been some time, Selene."

The woman—Selene—tensed. "You shouldn't be here."

Tyoran chuckled, the sound sending a chill through the air. "You and I both know that barriers mean little when one understands how to bend them." He tilted his head. "You've been watching her. Protecting her."

Selene's fingers twitched. She knew he was speaking of Wendall.

"She is not yours to take," she said sharply.

Tyoran smirked. "And yet, she is one of the keys to my vision." He took a slow step forward. "The realms were never meant to be separate, Selene. We both know this. The gods' division was a mistake."

"A mistake that prevents chaos," Selene shot back.

Tyoran's eyes darkened. "You still cling to their lies." His voice grew softer, almost amused. "But it doesn't matter. You cannot keep her from me forever."

The air around them pulsed with power—magic against magic, darkness against light. For a brief moment, the city itself seemed to hold its breath.

Then, as quickly as he had appeared, Tyoran's form melted back into the shadows, vanishing as if he had never been there.

Selene exhaled slowly.

She had known this day would come.

Now, Wendall's journey had to begin—before it was too late.

Wendall's nights had always been filled with strange dreams, but this one was different.

She stood in an endless void, the sky swirling with golden and silver energy. A voice, ancient and powerful, whispered her name.

"Wendall... awaken..."

Before her, two massive pillars of light stretched toward infinity—one of pure gold, the other of endless blackness. They pulsed, calling to her.

Her fingers trembled as she reached forward. The moment she touched the golden light, a rush of energy surged through her body. Her veins burned, her mind exploded with visions—a world beyond Earth, a war long forgotten, a destiny written in the stars.

Wendall's body jerked upright in her small orphanage bed, heart pounding. But something was wrong.

The room was glowing.

The air crackled with power, and objects floated around her—books, chairs, even her blanket hovered mid-air. Her skin pulsed with gold and silver energy, just like in her dream.

Panic surged through her. She tried to control it, to force the power back—but instead, the energy burst outward.

A shockwave ripped through the room, shattering the windows. The lights in the orphanage flickered wildly before bursting into sparks.

The entire building trembled.

Heavy footsteps pounded toward her door. Wendall barely had time to catch her breath before Madame Kovak burst in, her face twisted in fury and fear.

"Wendall!" Kovak's voice was sharp. "What have you done?"

"I-I don't know!" Wendall gasped, her hands still glowing faintly.

The other children peeked through the doorway, whispering. Fear filled their eyes.

Freak. Monster. Not normal.

Wendall swallowed hard. She had never felt more alone.

Then, a soft voice cut through the tension.

"It has begun."

Wendall turned. Standing at the broken window was Selene, the mysterious woman from before.

"You can no longer stay here," Selene said, stepping forward. "Come with me, Wendall. I will show you who you truly are."

Wendall hesitated, looking at the terrified faces around her. Deep inside, she knew—her life here was over.

Taking a shaky breath, she stepped toward Selene.

And with that, her journey into the world of magic had begun.

Wendall followed Selene through the neon-lit streets of New Arcton, her mind still reeling from what had happened at the orphanage. The woman moved with purpose, her cloak blending into the shadows as if she were part of them.

"Where are we going?" Wendall finally asked.

Selene glanced at her. "To the only place that can help you understand what you are."

After what felt like an eternity of walking, they arrived at a towering metallic structure, hidden deep within the industrial district. There was no name, no sign, nothing to indicate its purpose. But the moment Wendall stepped closer, she felt it—a pulse, an energy that resonated with something deep inside her.

"This is LAYRA Academy," Selene said. "A school where Earth's greatest minds develop the future of AI and robotics."

Wendall frowned. "Why would you bring me to a place like this? I have magic, not—"

"Because this place is more than it appears," Selene interrupted. She raised a hand, pressing her palm against what seemed like thin air.

A ripple spread through the space in front of them, revealing a hidden entrance, lined with golden circuits that glowed faintly.

Wendall's breath hitched. "What…?"

Selene turned to her. "LAYRA Academy isn't just a school. It holds a secret—one that even the leaders of Earth do not fully understand. It is a bridge between technology and magic."

As they stepped inside, Wendall was greeted by a futuristic hallway lined with floating drones, AI-operated security systems, and advanced robotics. Scientists and engineers moved through the corridors, discussing artificial intelligence breakthroughs.

But something felt… off.

She could feel traces of magic woven into the very foundation of the building.

Selene led her deeper underground, past areas marked "Restricted Access." Finally, they reached a massive vault-like door, secured with an AI-powered locking mechanism.

Selene placed her hand on the scanner. "Initiate clearance: Guardian Protocol."

The AI responded in a calm voice, "Access granted, Guardian Selene."

The doors hissed open, revealing a hidden chamber beneath the Academy.

Wendall's eyes widened.

Inside was a massive underground library—but unlike any library she had ever seen. Floating data screens projected ancient runes, holograms of arcane symbols mixed with futuristic blueprints of unknown machines.

"Welcome to the Hidden Archives of LAYRA Academy," Selene said. "This is where magic and technology intertwine. And this, Wendall, is where you will learn your true purpose."

As Wendall stepped forward, her fingers brushed against a floating holographic script—one written in a language she had never seen before, yet somehow understood.

Her mind filled with images of ancient battles, of sorcerers wielding forces beyond comprehension, and of machines that pulsed with magical energy.

"This place…" Wendall whispered. "It's not just a school. It's…"

"A sanctuary," Selene finished. "And a prison."

Wendall turned to her sharply. "A prison?"

Selene's golden eyes darkened. "The world of Earth has forgotten magic. They do not believe in it. But the truth is—the leaders of LAYRA Academy know it exists."

Wendall's heart pounded. "Then why hide it?"

"Because they fear it," Selene said gravely. "And because… they seek to control it."

Wendall clenched her fists. Everything she knew about her world was changing.

And deep inside, she realized—she was at the center of it all.